Meet Luis Ángel Mondragón | Actor, Writer & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Luis Ángel Mondragón and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Luis Ángel, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I believe that my upbringing was deeply rooted in taking little-to-no risks. What I have come to learn from life and art is the importance of finding a healthy relationship with being comfortable taking risks. By working towards a mentality that subdues the fears of the risk itself and also propels me towards forward action on the risk, I have been able to navigate risk-prone decisions. I, oftentimes, resort to making a pro’s and con’s list before following through on a decision. I allow myself to sit with the idea for as long as I need to(so long as it doesn’t affect others on the exterior) in order to make the choice.

The most pivotal risk, for me, was choosing to leave a career in the sciences and pursue a career in the arts. I had grown up listening to the horror stories of the life that was ahead of me if I considered a career in the arts; however, I had reached a point in my life where what I loved did not align with what I was doing. Through that realization, I was able to find the courage to shift career paths. The rest of the pieces continue to fall into place.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When it comes to theatre and storytelling, the most exciting aspect is the connection the audiences have towards the story. I want audiences to leave a space knowing that they witnessed and experienced human connection. It would be an added bonus if the work could spark a conversation for them that initiates reflection.

As an actor and storyteller, the most difficult part of the journey has been the self-growth. For a long time I believed that studying the craft, alone, would suffice to grow as an artist; however, over the years, I’ve learned that the craft is only one portion of the artist as a whole. The other portion involves working on yourself and making sure that you, as an individual, are striving to be in a good place.

The most important thing I’ve learned through acting and storytelling has been the beauty of empathy and ability to lose judgement. Without those two elements in my work, I don’t think I could consider myself an artist.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I believe that LA has a lot to offer and is huge. A pleasant rundown would be as follows:

-Day 1: DTLA and it’s neighboring areas: (Boyle Heights, Little Tokyo, Art’s District, The Last Book Store, China Town, Olvera Street, The Broad Museum, MOCA Museum, LA Live), Places to eat at could definitely be in any of those areas but I would strongly suggest the Grand Central Market because the array of options are endless – you’re bound to find something delicious.

-Day 2: Pasadena (Huntington Library, Norton Simon Museum, Old Pasadena)

-Day 3: Hollywood/WeHo/BH/Century City/Culver City
Starting off with a hike(Runyon Canyon, Wisdom Tree or any of the other Griffith Hiking Trails). Then a visit to Griffith Observatory to then make the way down the Hollywood walk of Fame(Chinese Theatre area). Finally, doing a quick peruse through Beverly Hills(Rodeo Drive), Century City(Museum of Tolerance) & Culver City.

-Day 4: Mulholland Drive, Getty Villa & Getty Center

-Day 5: Santa Monica/Venice

-Day 6: Long Beach (Aquarium of the Pacific, San Pedro Pier, Queen Mary, Museum of Latin American Art)

This would give a broad stroke of all that can be found in LA.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I would love to dedicate my shout out to my parents, my sisters and my husband Pablo. They are the source that nourishes empathy, dedication, integrity and authenticity in me.

Second, I’d like to give a shout out to the Stella Adler: Art of Acting Studio in LA. Through them, I have been able to find a community of artists who have the ambition and hunger for storytelling and for creating theatre. Furthermore, I was handed a handful of mentors that helped polish my art and who have been a strong foundation and motivation to be a more empathetic and abundant artist.

Third, I’d love to give a shoutout to all the artists I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate with.

Lastly, I’d like to give a shoutout to Cliff Faulkner, Michael Ganio, and Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz (Lighting Design Professor at UC, Irvine) who noticed my talents and showed me the beauty of collaboration in theatre. They were influential in creating the strong ‘collaborative foundation’ in my work ethic.

Instagram: @lemoondragon

Image Credits
Pablo Cuen, Adyery Tlahuel Photography, Ana J. Hernandez, Art of Acting Studio